Through Your Eyes
by xXAonoNYmouSPXx
Summary: In another time, during when Indra had to travel to do his father's test of selecting his heir, maybe he could've met someone that could accompany him on his journey. And maybe she could be the one to show him the path out of the blind darkness and into the light again. IndraSaku. R&R!
1. Fateful Encounter

_Eyes of pure, verdant greens akin to the color of the rare jewel of tourmaline stared back at him before darkness enveloped him._

It had been exactly seven days when he parted without so much as a goodbye to his little brother at that fork on the road. Him, travelling to the road that will lead him to the designated village in the west, while his brother ventured forth to the east. Indra's travel was sole, just as how he wished it. To travel with a companion will only hinder him from travelling to the village as soon as possible.

His father's trial, surely he would choose him, his eldest and more powerful son, to become his successor. There was no need of this farce in Indra's opinion. But he went along with it, so as to humor his father of his wish.

So he merely treated this as a race.

Now, the pioneer of ninjutsu stumbled upon a land of trees that reached as high as the heavens, its earth- filled with soft moss and lichen to provide life of creatures of the smallest and greatest size, but what drew him was the waterfall that roared in soft thunder as water flowed down from its peak. With the intention of quenching his thirst and refill his travel canteens, he followed the sound of rushing water until his dark eyes saw the river that flowed out from a small lake. The aqua ran through a bed of rocks- pure, clean, and crystal-clear - as if one could use it as a mirror.

Indra knelt by the bed of white and gray rocks as he scooped the water between his hands. He studied his face in the reflection and clicked his tongue in distaste at the thin sheen of sweat and dust over his features. He had not found a suitable place to bathe yesterday and his high status appalled him at how grimy he is becoming. It would be a pity to soil such precious water, but his need must be satiated first.

He drank lumps of the cool water and had filled his canteens to the brim. After which, Indra proceeded to undress. His cloak and travelling pack lay behind on one side of a boulder as he shed off the white kimono and black sash to reveal his dark suit underneath. He was only able to shed the top, revealing a toned and muscular chest, all the while admiring the glimmering lake under the steady stream of the waterfall, when he felt a spike of foreign chakra.

Water suddenly spewed forth from the lake, twisting up like a geyser until it split in two. It flapped like wings methodically as if it had a life on its own until it fell back into the water. Stopping as quickly as it began. Then something else rose from the water. A woman.

She sprang from the center of the lake, and felt as if time slowed down on purpose to let him marvel at the sight of her creamy, nude skin, as she arched her back to let her hair fan out like a halo around her head. He did not even register the oddity of her pink locks as he stared, water droplets that fell from her rise reflected the rays of the sun, making her shine and sparkle like a rare gem.

Her eyes were closed as she ran her hand over her head and down her neck, as her hair laid down gracefully, floating around the water that covered her just below her navel. She hummed in contentment, relishing the coolness of her skin, before she opened her eyes.

Verdant eyes stared directly at his direction and all they could do was stare. But it did not last as her face heated with evident rubor from the base of her neck up to the tips of her ears. Indra snapped from his trance just in time to avoid a projectile of water that flew to his direction. It tore a clean hole right through the thick tree trunks behind him. He reflexively activated his sharingan as he dodged every small spout that seemed to increase in number with his every step.

The tomoe in his eyes spun at the slight falter of projectiles and to the massive ball of water that he now realized, was growing bigger in size while he ran and dodged. There was a voice nagging in his mind just how this woman was able to use ninshu but he had to shove it at the back of his mind for now as the ball of water thrice his size careened towards him. Indra formed practiced hand signs at such a speed it was impossible to see with the naked eye before he opened his mouth. The air immediately shifted in response to him and wisps of fire immediately accumulated into a ball of fire that rivaled the one the woman made.

With a jerk of his head, the fire ball clashed with the incoming water ball and the meeting seared the area with temperate steam. The opposing elements hissed upon contact as it warred with every last drop and ember until it dissipated entirely. Indra kept his guard up, ruby eyes shifted left and right for any subtle movement and in search for any abnormal chakra. However, as the steam and dust that enveloped him cleared, the woman of pastel pink hair was nowhere to be seen.

His instincts told him that he should not let the calmness of the area fool him and he was right to listen to it as a shadow whizzed towards his direction. Indra jumped back just in time before the woman's fist could hit him and instead, punch the earth below them. Her deceivingly delicate hand shattered the hard rocks below, disturbing that side of the river. Soil, debris, and gallons of water sprung from beneath their feet.

Indra barely landed before the woman lunged at him again. She was fast, too fast. He had not seen anyone move so fast except for his father, and with such physical power that would shame the bulkiest of men. If he had not seen her finely shaped breasts then he would have doubted her being a woman. With no chance to dodge the woman's incoming fist, Indra decided to meet her head on.

However, he was not able to succumb her into the world he called the Tsukuyomi, for the moment they were face to face, noses barely touching, the woman gasped and immediately drew back her fist. With his sharingan, Indra saw her sudden change but was not one to stop just for that. He reached out to grab her wrists and that seemed to have snapped her from her trance.

The woman slammed her forehead to his, making Indra grunt, but that did not loosen his grip. It only made his fist tighter around her slender wrist. Irked at the confoundedness of a woman successfully hitting him when no one else ever could, the brunette pinned her down on the shattered rocks. Using his weight to keep her down, he straddled her hips to secure her place as his thumbs pressed down on the nerve of her wrist, rendering them useless.

The pain was evident on the woman's contorted face, brows furrowed, fangs bared, and a grunted scream escaped her lips- refusing him to let him hear how in pain she was. She started to kick her legs around but he mercilessly pinned them with his knees on her thighs. His weight alone was enough to stop her thrashing as much as she tried, her eyes burned with obvious displeasure and Indra would have smirked.

He let her thrash and squirm in hopes of breaking free from his secure hold of her as he just stared at her with red eyes watching every miniscule shift of her features from panic to anger to fear and to anger again. It felt like hours had gone by but Indra didn't care nor did he notice. For some reason, watching her struggling at his mercy pleased him. His father taught him and his brother the value of women and his actions may seem low for retaliating and causing her pain, but in his defense, this woman struck first with evident intention of causing him harm. Yes, he only acted in self-defense. But in some twisted way, the feeling of dominance made his chest swell.

Finally, the pink-haired woman stopped. She glared at him, taking a deep breath and letting it out through flaring nostrils to regain her breath. Then she clicked her tongue and spoke.

"I never thought that I would need to do this." her smooth, velvety voice echoed in his ears and Indra barely opened his mouth to answer when she suddenly rose her head. She did not head-butted him as he initially thought but instead, she pressed her lips to his.

Shock immediately shot through his spine, his dark eyes grew wide at the feeling of another person's lips touching his for the first time. It shut his brain off of every thought and his muscles stiffened with numbness except for the soft contours over his gaping lips. Indra felt another shock of electricity bolt up his spine when the woman shamelessly inserted her tongue in his.

He stayed there, frozen, and unmoving when his instincts shouted at him to fight back. But the sensation of her pliant tongue touching his own, of it running shyly over his molars, caressing the inside of his cheeks, made Indra feel lightheaded. His eyes began to droop to a close, his grip loosened on her wrists and his knees went back to her sides in a straddle. Larger hands moved on their own to cup her cheeks and the gasp she emitted from their connected mouths pleased him. Indra started to respond carefully, wanting to run his tongue over hers. She made another, softer noise and the Otsutsuki hummed in approval at the feel of her clothed breasts pressed over his naked chest.

He felt liquid seep from hers and he shamelessly lapped it up before swallowing the amassed liquid he suspected was their shared saliva. The moment the last drop went down his throat, Indra immediately felt rigid. Every muscle in his body paralyzed into a complete stillness with opening his eyes as the last action he was able to do.

His eyes, tuned back into their dark pools, stared at her emerald ones that looked at him with disgust. The bright, burning flame he saw in those depths was the last he saw before he succumbed to darkness.

* * *

Anger was evident with his every step, scaring any creature anywhere near his path. How degrading! He! The pioneer of ninshu! Tempted and defeated, by a _woman_! No- not defeated, he refuse to acknowledge that. That wench!

As he stood on the dirt path atop a hill, Indra's frustration diminished somewhat when he saw a tavern. With lights seeping from the windows just as the sun was setting over the distance. He was tired and immensely irked, he might as well treat himself with a decent meal and a proper bed after all this time.

.

"Have you heard anything at all?" pink brows furrowed with eyes glimmering with hope. The innkeeper and the informant in front of her equally frowned, releasing a dejected sigh.

"Forgive us, blossom." the informant spoke. "But my birds sing no song of any head that resembles yours."

"And I have not heard a tale from anyone who come by nor have visited by anyone that carry _The Little Goddess'_ name." added the innkeeper.

The pinkette took a deep breath at the news, her shoulders slumped, looking sadly to one side before mustering a smile to the two men in front of her. The informant was reaching for the bag tied by his hip when her hand shot over to stop him. The informant looked at her in confusion.

"But blossom-"

"It is alright." she gave him a reassuring smile. "I hired you and I paid for you, even though I knew it to be a difficult task. I thank you for being honest with me."

"An informant who lies to his client is no informant. I can never lie under your mystic eyes and to you personally, blossom. But it does not change the fact that I have failed you."

"You did not fail me. I asked you to scour the mountain ranges- you even went and bothered to search further to the north, for any sign of my family." she patted his calloused hands "You did not fail me. At least, now I know my family is not in the mountain ranges- it narrows my choices of where to find them. You have done well, I thank you."

The informant could only bow deeply, repeating words of forgiveness and gratitude.

"I think it be best if we should all rest and have a good fill of our stomachs. What say you, blossom?"

The pinkette smiled widely at the old man, "I think that is wonderful, Morio-san. It has been a long day and I sure am famished."

.

"What can I offer you, stranger?" Indra eyes the innkeeper behind the bar before tossing a few coins without thought.

"A meal and a room for the night" he answers and the old man nodded before disappearing towards the kitchen.

The inn was bustling with travelers and men that carry weapons on their person- some might even be bandits (if there are, he wonders why this inn hasn't become a fighting pit already) laughing, drinking, and eating merrily without care minding only their own business. Indra has never left the village his father rules so he has only heard tales from servants and travelers that pass by about what it's like outside the walls. Most of them were not pleasant but Indra was undeterred, he even looked forward to it, and he is not concerned- he knows he is strong and powerful enough to defend himself against these people. After all, he has the power that puts him above all of them- ninshu.

"NOOO!" a loud wail earned his attention to the table to his right where a crowd cheered, laughed, and groaned in exasperation. Some of the men passed bags of coins or items of value to the other while some slammed them on the table. From what he could see between the spaces of huddled bodies, were what seems like Hanafuda cards displayed evenly on the table.

Indra scoffed at the low form of entertainment- gambling.

But amidst the loud cheers and jeers, a laughter- more soft and pleasing to the ears- evidently feminine, rang in his ears.

"And thus another victory for the blossom!" someone announced and the people in the inn cheered, raising their bottles or cups of sake towards their table.

"I admit that was the most fun I have ever experienced!" 'Blossom' spoke. "I thank you for the wonderful match. Care for another round, Kongo-san?"

A hearty laugh answered, "As much as I would love to avenge my loss, I am afraid that if I do then I will have no more coins to pay for a good bath in the springs, blossom!"

More laughter and the man stood, easily towering over the spectators. Indra watched as the man bowed to the person before him before heading to an empty table and shout to the innkeeper to bring him a double fill of meat and a large bottle of sake while he ordered a lady's beverage for the girl. Soon the crowd dispersed to their own tables and the brunette finally had a clear view of the woman.

She wore clothing similar to a miko, with the common white hitoe- wrapped and tucked elegantly under her red nagabakama. The only difference from the common priestess garbs were the slits by her shoulders that revealed a teasing glance of her ivory skin, red sode-kukuri laced through the outer ring of the sleeves, and she did not wear a white haori.

Her long, pink hair that reached past her waist was tied loosely midway below her shoulder blades while two locks were tied with bandages beside her face similar to his. Before he knew it he was immediately in front of her and as if sensing the sudden spike in his chakra, the woman turned to him. At first looking at him with indifference, until she smirked mischievously behind her fan.

"Hello there, would you fancy a game of Hanafuda with me?"

"I have no interest in partaking in your silly games, woman." he knew by now that his sharingan had most likely activated but a part of him confused and frustrated him at the fact that the woman seemed undeterred. She's even looking at him in the eye.

"Is that so? How unfortunate." she stood up, gathering the coins and stones on the table into her bags before strapping them to her waist. She gathers the cards in one sweep. "If you will excuse me-"

Indra's hand shot towards her arm in a firm grip. Instantly, the inn became silent but Indra couldn't seem to care. The pinkette looked from his hand and to his face in innocent question.

"Do not think that I have forgotten what you have done to me, woman." he glared at her that would make men shivering under his gaze. "How dare you humiliate me."

"Humiliate you?" she rose a delicate brow, revealing her smirk as she folded her red fan. "Oh, is it because you have been bested by a girl?"

The laughter in her voice only irked him more but before he could fully unsheathe his blade with his free hand, multitude of swords and arrows were pointed in his very person. Without moving his head, Indra glared at the men who dared to raise their weapons at him- finding some satisfaction as other shifted uncomfortably when they met his red gaze, but they continue to remain seemingly undeterred and held their ground.

"Do you really think these barbarians are enough to protect you?" he hissed at the pinkette. The woman laughed.

"Barbarians?! Are you confused?" she couldn't stifle her giggle enough which followed by chuckles from the rest. "Assaulting a defenseless woman like a savage, do they not teach you honor from where you came from? Because I sure see you more as a barbarian compared to these honorable men."

That seemed to have done him. He couldn't bear to take any more of this humiliation from this damn wench! Never had he ever experienced such disrespect on his person in all his life! The tomoes in his sharingan immediately spun and entered her mind. Woman or not he needed to show this girl just where she belongs. He sees her verdant eyes start to cloud, signaling that the girl has fallen for his illusory world but what happened next surprised him yet again.

The pinkette smiled sweetly at him.

"I don't think so." she said in a sing-song voice. "Release!"

He could feel himself pushed back rather harshly that he fell back on his rump. The force that sent him back was a kin to a gust of wind that blew right at his face. He snapped his head up to retaliate only to find the end of her folded fan at the tip of his nose.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, good sir." She said in her melodious voice laced with mirth. Just then, a bearded bear of an old man came up beside the pinkette. He placed a big hand on her shoulder in a surprisingly gentle touch, almost fatherly, as he addressed her.

"Are you alright, blossom?" with his other hand, he places it over his hip. The gesture opened his yukata just enough to reveal the hidded wakizashi blade.

"I am quite alright, sir innkeeper." She answered playfully, verdant eyes not straying from his that reverted back into his black coal ones.

Indra could feel his molars grinding behind his pressed lips. Anymore of her smiling face and he might actually tear her them off so he could put it back in an inverted position. Those soft, alluring, sweet lips of hers…

The innkeeper dropped his hand from his shoulder to look down at him instead. An odd sort of satisfaction welled up inside the Otsutsuki when the big man who was actually leering at him did not feel as irritating as he did with the woman's.

"I don't like that look in your eyes, boy." He started, making Indra's brows furrow- aghast at what he just dare call him.

"Boy?" Indra sneered, only to feel a soft flick to his nose by the woman's fan- who only giggled at him in amusement.

"Don't be so harsh on him, sir innkeeper." She interjected before returning to him. "That's right- _boy_. Tis a common term among us vagabonds. Your age does not matter, and we could not care less. Anyone who has just came out of the safety of their homes and villages are properly called as such. Isn't that right, _boy_?"

"And that's just one. Listen here, see that sign over there?" Added the innkeeper. He pointed at the wall next to the entrance of the inn and Indra recognized it as the same symbol at the sign outside of the establishment. It was a very intricate carving of a flower with five petals enclosed in a circle. "That there indicates that this place is neutral ground. Meaning that no matter how low or how high your status is in your territory, while you are here, you will became no one and be treated as equals. Any offenders will be rightly taken care of."

Indra snorted at that, feeling a bubbling sort of mirth and amusement. Just the thought of these men coming up to challenge his might almost made him smile. But that was immediately suppressed when he stole a brief glance at the pinkette and remembering their earlier scuffle. With a weightless push of his hands on the wooden floors, Indra stood to clap his hands free of the dirt and dust as he coldly walked past the smiling pink-haired woman.

He didn't look back to see the woman motion her hand away in command, thus the rest of the men in the inn drew back their swords and weapons and even gave the sulking brunette the berth that led him to the flight of stairs to where a young waitress stood nervously. The innkeeper waved his hand at the girl and with a gulp of reluctance, followed the young man up to show him to his room.

The pinkette sighed as she opened her red and white fan with a flick of her wrist. Her hand rested below her breasts as her amused emerald gaze fell back on the flight of stairs. "Do you suppose I was the one too harsh on the poor boy?"

Chuckles erupted as one of the men answered her, "Not at all, blossom!"

"If the lady wishes, we could go and have a more in-depth talk with him." added another that was followed by nods and murmurs of agreement.

She chuckled as she turned around. "Oh gentlemen you are all too kind. But I suppose it is only appropriate if we leave him be for today. Let him savor this one moment as a lesson of what it's like out here."

Howls of yes and salutes complied before the armed men resumed their attention to their drinks and tales of travels.

"Well, I still feel a bit responsible so I suppose it is just appropriate if I see to him, am I right?" she giggled and with graceful steps like a princess, walked soundlessly up the stairs as one hand held up her kimono while the other held her fan to her lips. Though the smile was still evident by the crease of her eyes.

"You seem to have caught another interesting fellow, blossom." The innkeeper laughed heartily. "We know very well you are quite capable but still, be careful around that boy, Aini. There's a hint of danger hidden behind those eyes of his."

"Oh sir innkeeper, I truly appreciate your concern. And please Kishi-san, as I have said before, you may just call me Sakura."

* * *

 **Will continue depending on the feedback.**

 **Ciao~!**


	2. Names

"Stop following me." Indra growled, teeth grinding as he kept walking up the path. Furrowed eyes remained transfixed on the road ahead while a voice at the back of his mind whispered to him to engulf everything around him in flames. Her only response to him was a hum which only served to irk him more.

He had been walking for some time now. After a meal at the inn on the morning after, he went on his merry way to continue his journey. Even though he had purposely strayed away from the prepared land in favor of a harsher terrain, and even though it was already well past noon and the time for a meal had thoroughly been skipped- all in the hopes of throwing her off, Indra could still hear the second set of feet that followed close behind him.

"It is almost time for the sun to set." She began, but Indra made no pause in his step nor spare her a glance. "This path is not a very ideal place. Don't you think it is time for you to stop and scout for a proper area to camp before nightfall comes?"

"I will only stop and rest whenever I please." He responded, adding more weight in his steps. "If you are so concerned, why don't you go and find yourself another inn full of barbarians to rest for the night?"

It was a rhetorical question, one that the both of them were aware that shouldn't be answered. In fact, Indra even purposely insulted those so-called ' _gentlemen_ ' she's fond of in hopes that it would elicit him a different response. One that is not a laugh, giggle, nor another hum. But even then, the stubborn woman still answered him and the mirth in her voice only told him that she was more amused in his attempt.

"Oh don't be silly, boy. You will never find another inn for the next sixty or so miles. Finding an inn is a luxury in of itself. It is fairly common knowledge, but I suppose you would not have known that, would you, _boy_?" the way she stressed her term for him was enough to snap his attention and turn his menacing glare towards her. However, as if she knew better than to be caught in his ruby-turned eyes, the pink-haired woman casually walked ahead of him, with her fan doing no justice to hide the smirk on her face. She stilled and turned, eyes wide as if she realized something. "Ah! But is it possible that… you do not know how to set up camp?"

Indra's cheeks flushed red in anger and her laugh only triggered him to attack. Hands shifted over his chest in such speed as he willed the air into an invisible whip that he directed towards her. Damn his father's teachings about respecting women, how could he give respect to someone who has done nothing but humiliate him from the very start?! This woman does not deserve even a single grain of his respect! And he refused to be insulted any more than this!

The whip of wind crashed onto the bark of a tree and as much as it annoyed Indra, he had already suspected the woman to not fall from such a blatant warning attack- based on the way they fought by the waterfall yesterday. He has yet to know what she had done to him to knock him into unconsciousness though, and he doubts a simple kiss could have any sort of effect. Expecting her to appear behind him, Indra turned his head, but he snapped it around and above when a shadow was casted over him. True enough, the pink-haired woman was floating before him and was slowly descending to the ground. Her emerald orbs flashed in greater amusement as she kept a straight figure to silently tell him that she was not intimidated by him at all. She may seem as if she was flying, but looking closely, she used a leaf that had fallen from the tree he had disturbed as a sort of platform for her descent and she had kept it using her chakra as balance. For a moment, Indra almost called her a genius.

"Temper, temper." She waddled a finger to his nose, tutting. "If you respond with such vehemence at my teasing claim, it is almost as if you are telling me that what I said was true."

Before he could react, she jumped back into the forest and Indra made blind pursuit. He chased her through the trees, pumping his feet faster with his chakra all the while kicking the dirt and grass behind him with such force that it made dents onto the soil. His arm came out from his cloak and reached forward once he came close. A smirk wound its way to his features at how close he was but as if she knew that he was right behind her, Sakura turned her head to him, gave him a smirk of her own and suddenly disappeared.

Flabbergasted, Indra stopped and turned his head here in there, sharingan eyes roving through and between trees in search of any hint of pink. A whistle called his attention and Indra's head snapped up above him. His mouth gaped a bit at the sight of her standing upside down the branch above as if her feet had stuck themselves on the bark.

"Up here!" she giggled, waving her hand until she curled up a finger in a come-hither motion and winked. "Keep up, boy. I thought you were going to try and capture me."

Indra's chakra spiked and that was her indication to move. Meanwhile as he chased her from the forest ground, Indra can't help but marvel at how she leapt from tree to tree with such grace and without a hint of hesitation, showing him that she had done this sort of travel method for a long time. While keeping himself aware of his surroundings, Indra focused his eyes onto her and with the aid of his sharingan, learned her trick.

She gathered her chakra to the soles of her feet, focusing a certain amount and used it to stick herself onto the tree's bark. He had to commend her for her control though. She used just the right amount, not too much to splinter the wood she landed on, and not too little that she would slip and fall. Indra wondered how long and how many times she had attempted to achieve such perfection. Even he had taken quite an amount of time to channel his chakra properly.

With determination, Indra leaped off the ground and onto the nearest tree. He gathered chakra to his feet but it was too much that his foot went straight into it. He stopped himself from looking up, no doubt what awaits him was just another smirking face from the woman that was no doubt laughing at his mishap. With renewed vigor, Indra leaped onto another tree but he gathered too little and slipped. Thankfully he landed squarely atop the tree's massive, upturned roots.

Indra panted and fisted his hands in frustration but tried again, and again, and again. His attention now diverted from the annoying pink-haired woman and onto his practice of focusing just the right amount of chakra to walk up on trees. Finally, he gets it, and a smirk broke from his face as he ran up the tree's length, but his control was not yet consistently precise and he would sometimes leave a trail of splintered bark. Once he finally reached the top branch, Indra felt his heart pump in his chest rhythmically. It had been so long since he felt this… triumph. The last time being when he was a child and he felt how awed he was when he first breathed fire from his mouth.

A series of claps caught his attention and Indra snapped his head to the source. Atop another branch of a different tree in front of him, the pinkette clapped her hands in joy.

"You have done it! I just knew you would!" she cheered and Indra found himself frowning at her strange behavior. Usually her smiles always had a tint of mockery in them, but as she clapped and smiled at him for his achievement this time, he couldn't find nary a trace of them.

Suddenly she hopped towards him, so near was she that they were practically touching noses. Then in a blink of an eye, she circled around him and shot herself forwards. Snapping from his stupor, Indra gave chase. However, he has yet to learn how he could launch himself through great lengths from one branch to another that he would often find himself jumping too short that he had to grab onto the tree and run back up. it was tedious and he thought that he would have to practice again but the line of trees suddenly stopped.

The forest ended just short from a rocky ledge with a steady stream of river flowing below. The pink-haired woman stood there at the center, fanning herself as she waited for him and Indra landed down from the towering tree with a cat's grace. The woman shut her fan closed and pressed her palms together.

"Oh my, how wonderful!" she cheered, Indra blinked. "You caught dinner!"

He frowned and followed her line of sight. The brunette almost jumped when he saw two dead rabbits hanging by his hip with a string under his cloak.

"That settles it then! You prepare our meal while I go find some firewood." She merrily walked past him with a bounce on her step but not before stopping for a moment before looking at his dumbfounded face over her shoulder. "You _do_ know how to prepare a rabbit, don't you?"

Indra flushed, "Of course I know how to prepare a rabbit! I know how to prepare a fish too!"

"Good to know then!" she smiled and practically skipped to the edge of the forest, gathering twigs as she went along.

Indra was left to himself. His hands snapped the string that tied the rabbits to his hip and stared at them with angry eyes before shifting his gaze up to find the sky turning orange with the setting sun. That was then that Indra realized that he had been outsmarted… by that woman… _again_! He had every intention to go after her and settle their score once and for all until he stopped dead in his tracks. His cheeks burned in embarrassment when he felt his stomach gurgle in hungry protest. He just hopes that she did not hear that. With an angry huff, he turned on his heel and sat behind a flat rock as he began to skin the rabbits.

.

To Indra's confusion, the rest of their time was spent in silence with nary a word spoken between them. She would spare him a glance or two at times and he would meet her smiling face with his glare. However, that did not seem to deter her as she would just busy herself in preparing the fire. Even when the sun has finally set and their meat were cooked, both of them just ate in silence as they sat across each other with the fire between them. All the while, Indra kept his eye on her in case she made any sudden movement. However the only strange behavior he observed from her was when she stopped and closed her eyes, hands to her ears like she was listening to something else aside from the cracking of the fire. After which she let out a sigh with a solemn expression and then resume her meal. Once they finished and threw the sticks into the fire however, did she finally break the silence.

"That was a good meal, boy. Thank you." she thanked him genuinely and for a moment, Indra didn't know what to say. Because surely, a thank you was not something he was expecting to come out of her lips.

"Stop calling me boy." He responded instead, accompanied with a glare.

The pinkette blinked and tilted her head. "Well, in our terms, you _are_ one, but then again I never quite caught your name."

Indra huffed, straightening his back as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It is customary to introduce yourself first if you wish to know the name of others."

She pouted and the corner of his mouth twitched, but she relented nonetheless. She placed a hand over her chest and gave him a slight bow. "My birth name is Aini, but milady calls me Sakura."

Aini, her name meant ' _flower'_. He doesn't know what Sakura means though. "What does that even mean?"

He referred to her having two names and she caught on with his question. Sakura giggled, "It means that you can call me either way. But I prefer to be called Sakura, tis a tree of blossom promised to me by milady that would objectify my odd features. Now, may I know your name?"

"Indra." He answered simply.

"Indra…" she drawled and a spark of electricity ran up his spine at the way her tongue rolled his name. "' _One who possess raindrops_ ', it is a very nice name."

He did not say thank you, nor did he even bow his head in thanks. Instead he kept his mouth shut and coal eyes focused on her form, sitting on a piece of blanket with her knees drawn up as she rested her chin on them. Granted, he's a bit unnerved by her sudden change of demeanor, her teasing smiles completely gone, but it's a change a part of him welcomed nonetheless. He was very tired, and he might just explode from his annoyance if she would keep up her mockery of him.

"So what is the purpose of your travel, Indra?" she began, raking her fingers through her hair as she loosened the ties that bound her pink locks. "You seem to be headed due west. What is your purpose in that region there?"

Indra followed the way her fingers just flowed through her hair like silk. "That is none of your business."

"Perhaps, but if I intend to follow you I would really like to know your purpose and destination." She continued, not giving him a chance to speak yet. "Based from your clothes and the way you carry yourself, you seem to be the son of someone of high stature. Your posh manners and built, tells me that you had lived a proper upbringing. I am very curious on what could drive someone like you to exit the gates of his comfortable home and traverse this wilderness all alone. I doubt you ran away, either."

Coal eyes narrowed after waking from his stupor. "How do you know all this?"

Sakura shrugged, "I am a vagabond, Indra-san. I have travelled across many lands, I have seen many things, and I have met many people of different walks of life. Though this is my first time seeing someone like you outside the comforts of their protective walls."

She finished tying her hair back together, and for a long moment, all they did was stare into each other's eyes. The fire that served as their only source of light under the starry night had illuminated her features as she stared back at him, waiting for his answer. Her viridian orbs were wide and knowing, showing him a secret tale of long, treacherous journeys and Indra can't help but wonder what sort of upbringing this woman had. Using her words as his reference, her clothes for one were of a slightly higher quality than the clothes worn by common folk. The way she carried herself and her mannerisms tell him that she was taught proper etiquette but her childishness contradicts her training in discipline. Moreover, she knows how to control and manipulate chakra. Are there other places with people that knew how to harness this power? But wasn't he told that he was the first to introduce this power to the masses?

"My father sent me and my younger brother to two different, troubled villages and tasked us to resolve their issue. This will also serve as our test for him to name his rightful successor."

Sakura hummed, "So you tell me that you are the older brother. Dost your family have a different custom? Usually it is the eldest son who inherits most of the father's wealth and power."

"So you have a brain. I am pleased that you understand." Indra smirked as she narrowed her eyes at his insult. "I am simply humoring my father. It is unwise and a waste of time but if my father wishes for us to go through this farce, then so be it. In the end it is only obvious that I will be his pick, compared to my lesser capable and emotionally-driven brother, I am far more talented and more than capable to lead the future of our people."

"When you put it that way…" she hummed, placing a finger on her chin in thought. "It seems that putting you and your brother through this test is his wisest decision."

Indra's lips pressed into a thin line. Didn't she just agree with him moments ago? He dropped his arms to his lap and leaned forward, eyes narrowing in focus. "What do you mean?"

She pursed her lips as she stared up at the sky. "I wonder what your father said when he sent you two out here? If he is truly a wise man, then he would have said something like, ' _What will the two of you do when you are out in the world?_ '"

Indra's eyes went wide again in wonder and surprise. Sakura smiled at him fondly as he stared at her as if she had grown two heads.

"Was that accurate?"

"Accurate…" he parroted. "Who are you?"

Sakura giggled hugging her knees to her chest. "I am but a simple vagabond who has seen and learned a great many. Well, I am sure you are as tired as I am. What say you we call it a night? This part of the region is very peaceful so there is no need to worry about animals coming to attack while we sleep."

"Animals… are the least of your worries. You seem to have forgotten that you have done nothing but irk me since the moment we met. Are you not concerned that it is I who will kill you in your sleep instead?"

His answer was a snort and a roll of her eyes as she gently patted her hands on her blanket. "If you are truly someone who would stoop so low, driven by childish frustration and vengeance, then you would never have told me your name and the purpose of your travel, Indra."

"You are a fool to blindly have faith on a stranger."

"But you and I are no longer strangers for we now know each other's names. You could say that we are… acquaintances?" she giggled.

"Is that how you do this? You selfishly insert yourself as someone's travelling companion without permission just to satisfy your curiosity? Are those eyes that has ' _seen a great many_ ' so greedy to learn more?"

She gave him a sad smile and Indra was suddenly at a lost for words. "These eyes that had seen a great many… has helped me survive all these years, and yes they are greedy. My eyes will never be satiated until I finally find what I'm looking for."

Indra would've asked what she meant, would've asked what she was looking for, but she suddenly cut the tension before it could thicken with a loud clap of her hands and a bright smile on her face.

"Anyways, I am also headed due west in the same direction and I have a good guess on the village you are going to. Besides, traveling all those miles alone, would it not be better to have a traveling companion to depend on and make the journey more enjoyable? You also need someone to guide you through these mountains. You may have a map but I doubt it will tell you what changes these lands had undergone during the last few decades."

His hand reflexively went to his pouch where his map was. When had she taken a peek? True, they have been warned that the maps they carried were outdated for almost fifty years. "Enjoy-? I did not come here for pleasure, woman. I have no need for a companion. They will only slow me down. I can also sustain myself just fine. I do not need your help."

He bit the last words rather harshly but it seemed that even that did not deter her at all as Sakura snorted again and laid her body down the blanket. "True, even without my help, you can survive in this wilderness all alone. But that's the point is it not? You will be all alone, and where would the fun be in that? Well, goodnight Indra."

Casting him one toothy grin, Sakura turned her head and comfortably laid on her side. Indra's mind was divided, one side remained silent in awe and wonder while the other was loud and aggravated at her sheer audacity. Never had he met anyone like her before. He had other people talk back at him and disobeyed him before but they would usually cower in fear after they had their fill. This woman was different, _far_ different, and he wondered if the people who had traversed these wild roads are the same, or if she truly is unique. Which makes him wonder back to how she could use ninshu and have such perfect chakra control.

This woman, this Aini… Sakura… was an enigma. A very irritating and puzzling enigma. For one, she slept in a way that has her back totally presented to him. Unarmed and completely open. Does she not know how dangerous that position was? No, she probably knew, but why? Why would she just throw away her blind faith to him? They may now know each other's names but it does not win the argument that they have just met and barely knew each other. He doubts trust has already been established between them.

He moved silently, almost inaudibly, and from his pouch he produced a sharpened weapon and poised it over her neck. His sharingan eyes stared at her sleeping form for any sort of movement, but all that met him were even breaths and the steady rise and fall of her chest.

Indra bit his lip and pulled his weapon as he walked back to his position on the other side of the fire. Truly, she was an enigma- an enigma he is determined to unravel. He will expose her secrets and make her tell him all that she knew about ninshu. She may be wisely observant but she has been displaying the manners of a child. With a little coaxing, it will not be difficult to turn this woman around, and once he learns everything she has to offer, he will leave her at one side of the road and be done with it.

Shifting comfortably in a better position, Indra pulled his hood over his head and closed his eyes to sleep. What he didn't know however, was when he finally succumbed to slumber, Sakura opened her eyes to briefly look at him over her shoulder with a knowing smirk on her face. No, he will never get rid of her that easily. Not when she finally found the sharingan eyes.

* * *

 **Will continue depending on your responses.**

 **Ciao~!**


	3. Peacock and Tiger

It was unnerving, to say the least. Indra had kept his steady pace since he resumed his journey, all with full intentions to ignore the woman who had started following him on her own accord. It was unnerving, which was quite embarrassing on his part, the uneasiness he felt. He didn't have to turn around to see her smiling face since he could practically feel it boring onto his back. As much as her constant smiles and teasing smirks irritated him, he figured that he would have to endure if he ever wanted to know her secrets. After all, if he survived years under the same roof as his fool of a brother, then he supposed that he could tolerate another. At least she has a brain she is not afraid to use. However the real question that's been bugging him, is how is he able to conjure the questions for the answers that he seek?

Sakura _is_ , he deduced, a smart woman who has done nothing but throw his words back at him like a jilted lover's slap. Albeit a very amused slap.

His tracks halted into an abrupt stop, and with a swivel of his feet his eyes bore back into hers. Red eyes glared at her verdant greens just as when he sparred against his father's pupils. Indra already had an inkling on what response he would get but he wanted to test it once more, and still the results were the same. Sakura stared back unflinchingly in his gaze. Despite her unfrowned brows, she still sent him a levelled stare.

"Is there something wrong, Indra?" she asked, her red and white fan shielding her lips as usual.

Yes, something is definitely wrong. "Why are you not afraid of the sharingan?"

She blinked her eyelids slowly and fanned herself a few times which only served to remind him of his ire. He was not spoiled, but too long has he been used to people responding to him immediately at the drop of a pin that her delay of answer filled him with childish impatience.

Indra remained rooted on his spot as she snapped her fan closed, revealing her small smile as she walked the small steps that distanced them from each other till she was only a foot away that their images practically reflected in each other's eyes. He realized that her small stature made him a head taller than her, the crown of her head only reached the bottom of his chin.

"Sharingan?" came her curious voice.

"These eyes of mine. All- with the exception of my father- fear these eyes that they would flinch and cower before me in a heartbeat. Why does it not affect you like so?" he wondered if only the people in their village were affected by them, but then he remembered the way the travelers at the inn became wary of him when he shot them his gaze- he concluded that it was not the case.

Sakura smiled a little wider, but instead of her usual tease, her eyes reflected that of sincerity. "Why would I fear something so beautiful?"

Immediately, his glare disappeared and his mouth flapped ever so slightly at her unexpected answer. In spite of his reaction, she continued to look at him genuinely as if to convince him her words were true.

Beautiful? How could this thing be ever considered beautiful?

He wanted to ask, compelled by her odd choice of words. Perhaps this woman was senile just as he initially thought after all? However she didn't give him a chance as she took the lead this time, flicking her wrist to open her fan again and hide her lips behind it as she walked on ahead. Indra followed suit, intending to know what she meant when she suddenly stopped once she was atop the hill road. He stood beside her and took in an expression he had yet to see from her. Sakura's face was free from any joy or mirth unlike the usual, lips pressed into a grim line, and her eyes showed a sort of distaste as if she had just seen something repulsive.

He blinked in confusion and followed her line of sight to the scene before them. The trail they had been following would lead them to a river that provided a bridge to reach the other side. True enough, there was one, however what caught their attentions were the mass of people gathered before the bridge. It appeared that there were two opposing sides, all of them shouting in a heated argument of unknown causes. It was difficult to understand what they were arguing about what with multiple people shouting at each other at the same time. However just by observing alone, it was easy to get the general idea.

On one side, the group consisted of able-bodied warriors carrying swords strapped to their waists and easily dominating the argument with physical threats. The other party however, though bigger in number than the former, consisted of civilians- with women, children, and the elderly. Though their men tried to hold their ground, they were easily being pushed back.

"How troublesome," Sakura whispered but loud enough for him to hear before making her way towards the crowd.

Curious to see what the pinkette had in mind, Indra followed suit. As they neared, the civilians parted for them- giving looks of wariness and a hint of fear. It is because of their clothing? Just the mere quality and design of one's clothes can easily instigate authority over others. Indra wondered just how these people were able to get by with their sheer number and luggage carted by oxen in tow. Obviously, they also lacked sufficient security with the way their men held their weapons in a sloppy manner. When Sakura and Indra neared the heart of the argument, the shouts only got louder. One of the men from the opposing party pushed another that he fell flat on his back directly at Sakura's feet. That effectively turned the attention to them as the man scrambled back onto his feet and distanced himself from the two strangers.

"Stop right there strangers. Unless you pay a fee of five gold coins per person, we cannot allow you to pass." Said the man at the head of the group. His muscled build, the way he properly gripped his sword, and the natural aura of threat leaking off of him made it obvious that he was a competent fighter.

Five gold coins? What an absurd amount! These men are basically practicing extortion.

"A toll?" Sakura tilted her head a bit, fanning herself slowly but not enough to reveal her face. "I crossed this bridge two moons ago and I surely have not encountered any one of you men here. Just which cruel lord would send such strapping, noble, warrior gentlemen out here to do such a petty task?"

Indra's eyes flicked towards her with a brow raised in question. Surely she could see that they don't have any insignia stitched to their clothes indicating they belong to any house. This may be Indra's first experience in the outside world but he is not unfamiliar with what is common (obviously except for the more trivial terms among travelers and vagabonds).

He had heard of his father's epic tale, had also known about his travels and how he established the teachings of ninshu before he created their village. Ever since he learned how to read, Indra indulged himself in his father's study and had read every scroll and journal, committing them to memory. So it wouldn't be far-fetched for him to know that there are still places around the world, outside of the continent his father traveled, that are not aware of ninshu. That there is system of ranks and power in individuals and families that set them apart from commoners, claiming lands and ruling over them as lords. Surely a person who claimed to have traversed across many lands and met many people as she claimed to be would be fully aware of this fact.

The men laughed in glee, relishing her words. While they seemed to be pleased with her flattery, the ones from the other party stared at her as if she had just grown seven heads.

"You flatter us," the leader smirked. "If you must know, we have just established ourselves here no more than a sennight. However you are surely mistaken. We are not tied with any lord nor are we noble warriors. But we are quite strapping men, are we not?"

He motioned for his companions and they laughed again in agreement. Indra rolled his eyes from under his hood before observing Sakura again- who continued to fan herself, her eyes unamused.

"You established yourselves," she parroted, rolling each word with her tongue in emphasis. "So I take it that it was by your own accord to act as false bridge-keepers to cowardly hustle money off of weary travelers until you had your fill and leave? But I am afraid I do not have any money to pay your toll."

Again, Indra's brow raised at that. No money? _Liar_. Sakura has a bag nearly bursting with coins hidden under her robes from the gambling she made at the inn not too long ago. Her comments weren't missed however when the smirks dropped from the roguish men instead directed scowls were at her.

The leader suddenly held up his katana, earning gasps from the civilians as the metal reflected the light from the sun. Its pointed tip poised directly at Sakura's nose hidden behind her fan. She remained unfazed.

"Not to worry, we do accept other payments. My men and I can easily cut you all down like prey but if you ladies _entertain_ us, then we promise to let you all cross the bridge unscathed." An uncensored lustful gleam reflected across his eyes accompanied by a lecherous grin. The same expression were mirrored in his men's faces and the women behind them cowered back in fear. The tip of his sword, as well as his gaze, then pointed suggestively from her face, to her bosom, and to the apex of her thighs. It made Indra's face scrunch up in distaste as if he had just smelt something horrendous.

How vulgar.

"YOU BASTARDS!" one of the men from the noncombatant's side lashed out and he was easily dealt with a swift punch to his gut.

It appeared that Sakura was about to say something but Indra beat her to it, turning their attentions to him this time around. He clicked his tongue loudly, "Stop playing around. We are wasting time."

With purpose in his steps, Indra moved forwards only to find the lengthy blade of a katana at his neck.

"Make one more step and I will slice your head off your shoulders!"

"You dare…" Indra growled, the fire of his ire and frustrations effectively stoked. "…to threaten _**ME**_?!"

Sharingan eyes stared menacingly at the man and his face immediately went pale. Indra gave him no reprieve and surged forth, setting into a stance automatically as he used the heel of his left hand to swat the man's unarmed hand away before using the heel of his right palm to land a definitive blow to the head. Effectively knocking him off balance, Indra spun and kicked him squarely on his side, cracking a rib or two.

It all happened so fast that all they could do is marvel in shock at what just happened in mere seconds. All except Sakura who sighed dejectedly before finally snapping her fan closed and secured it in her obi. Her reaction did not go unnoticed but Indra will have to wonder the basis of it later as the rogues snapped from their reverie and charged forward. Screams pierced through the air as the civilians backed away from the chaos of the upcoming battle.

Indra, who finally found a way to release his built-up frustration- of having to go through this waste-of-a-time test and the pinkette's humiliating treatment of him, made no second thoughts as his eyes roved through at least five men that came charging towards him. For each one he dealt with unrelenting speed and power, showing off his fighting style that proved his mastery of kata. His techniques were foreign to them, and with his eyes he instilled fear into their hearts like a predator cornering their helpless prey.

Too distracted from his own foes and swirling anger, he failed to sense one sneaking up on him. Though he was able to whip his head around in time, the opportunity to counterattack was stolen from him when delicate fingers grabbed onto the man's face like claws. It effectively snapped him from his battle trance as he watched Sakura pounce at the helpless man- whose face was now buried into the dirt soil- like a tigress who just ambushed her prey.

The second she stood to her feet, she made a beeline towards two other rogues. Their eyes widened in surprise as their swords got wedged between her middle and index fingers. The seemingly delicate appendages held an unknown power that held the blades tightly to the point of them not being able to budge a millimeter. She pulled them towards her, fingers letting go of their swords to pull back into claws as she used the heel of her palms to strike their chins- dislocating their jaws- only to steal back their swords and use the blunt end of the hilt to knock them at the back of their heads as they fell down- rendering them unconscious.

She knows kata too?

As if reading his thoughts, Sakura smiled back at him knowingly before jumping back just in time to avoid the swing of another sword directed at her. When Indra also took a step back, his back was met with another's and it didn't take a genius to know that he was touching backs with the pinkette. Warmth spread around his body even through their clothes and hair that separated them. Indra only spared her a quick glance from the corner of his eye to which she did the same before they set their sights on the remaining ten or so armed enemies surrounding them.

.

It felt… _exhilarating_.

The moment he saw her take down three armed men twice her size, snapping him from his trance, Indra felt his blood pump hotly in his veins in a strangely welcoming way. It felt much better than the heated rush of his anger overwhelming him. He had not realized it but he had even stopped using his sharingan every now and then to scare his opponents and his chakra to deal heavier blows. At most, he relied on his base strength, testing his developed muscles with the techniques he had mastered over the course of his father's training. Obviously the speed and power was undoubtedly less than when he utilizes his chakra, but in some odd way it felt all the more natural whenever he did.

Especially during their fight. Whilst they thought they were too occupied with their own foes, Indra would find himself looking back at the pink-haired woman, stealing glances and watch her bring down her opponents with her preference of style that exhibited more power than grace. Each time he would look, and each time she would return his gaze with a knowing look- a look that that was a silent message, daring him to use his own strength than the chakra within him.

It felt weird at first, like a part of him was missing when he first landed a chakra-less chop on the side of his opponent's head. However eventually, Indra easily adapted, and no sooner he could feel the way the bones of his enemies break and fracture under the force of his natural strength rippling across his body and into his ears. However his reluctance only made him do so every other strike before opting to use his eyes and chakra again.

Even when he used chakra, he always had to hold back to avoid permanent damage.

This one however, was his first actual fight and unlike the times he sparred with his brother and his father's pupils, out here there are no restrictions, no holds barred, nothing but the sole purpose of survival. But what really made his heart race was not the freedom of holding back, it was the adrenaline that coursed through him- the excitement on the way his body naturally moved to an internal song.

Just like when he created his own style of kata as a child, how he showed off his moveset to his father, and how proud he looked as he patted his head.

For the second time since he met Aini- Sakura, she made him feel like the child he once was before, full of wonder and eager to learn, create, and discover.

Back to the time before he met the shadow in the woods.

The last man fell by his hands with a solid push of his palm to his chest. At the corner of his eye, he sees one trying to get up but the pinkette practically swooped down and landed her feet at the back of his head, burying his face to the ground. She hopped off his head and dusted her hands, a pleased smile etched her face as she whipped out her fan from her obi and fanned herself with an arm tucked under her bosom in such a relaxed manner as if she had not just fought against five or so men earlier.

"Indra, you thief," she started, tone laced with its familiar mirth. "Here I thought I would do the honors of delivering the first blow against these dishonorable men."

Indra blinked, feeling the corner of his lips twitch at the realization. "You tease. And here I thought you were enticing more barbarians."

Sakra tilted her nose up, "Oh do not insult me. I already knew the kind of men they are. I just wanted them to admit their own culpability before I exact my judgment."

"You are a vile woman." His words may have sounded rude but instead of being offended, the pinkette smiled coyly as her shoulders shook from holding back her laughter.

"Uhm… uh… p-p-pardon me…" came the voice of an old man.

Sakura and Indra finally turned their attentions to the standing party that seemed like they brought their entire village with them on their travel. Sakura stepped forward, the teasing twinkle in her eyes disappeared as she snapped her fan closed and bowed before the old man in respect.

"I apologize, elder, for coming between your frays uninvited but my conscience cannot stand by idly and watch their harassment of you and your people, and my companion needed the release. The decision to intervene was purely my decision, so I apologize for inciting such disturbance."

Indra's brows rose at her, lips parting ever so slightly.

The old man flushed, "N-Not at all milady! If I may be so bold in fact, you and your companion had done us a great service. As you can see we are but farmers from the nearby village."

"Perhaps you are referring to the small village a day away from here to the south?"

"Why yes! That it is! Unfortunately, for some reason our lands have suddenly become barren and our crops have ceased to grow. We have been invited a haven from the village upstream by my brother who is also the elder of that village. It is only a two-day journey so we anticipated no threats to come our way. Clearly we are mistaken… but even then we have no funds to secure us guards. We thought we might never be able to cross the bridge because of these hooligans!"

Sakura smiled and all Indra could do was pull his hood back over his head as he felt the mixture of reverence and dread from the people's stares- not doubt they had caught a glimpse of his ruby eyes. However that did not stop Indra from staring at the pinkette, who chatted with the travelling village's elder like old friends and how- unlike him- the people looked up at her with twinkles in their eyes.

.

They thanked them, in words and promised gratitude for it was the only thing they could do. They barely had anything with them to come by, not enough funds, and just enough rations to reach the designated village by the end of their journey. Sakura did most of the talking, weaving through them with sweet-filled words like a master seamstress. Indra wondered if she was just naturally easy to approach or there is a sort of underlying mischief behind her words. Nevertheless, it was obvious that she was well-versed and quite an expert in establishing relationships. When he was addressed, he would just give a noncommittal grunt and mumble his impatience of wasting time.

"Wait! I have one last thing I wanted to ask," Sakura called out just as they bowed to them waist-deep in gratitude. They had crossed the bridge and about to part ways at the fork on the road. She chewed her naturally pink lips and her heart hammered in her chest as she almost choked on her next words. "Have any of you perhaps… by chance… seen anyone- alone or by group- that is similar to me? My apologies! I mean… have you seen anyone bearing this mark?"

She turns around, moves her hair over one shoulder, and showed them the insignia of a plain white circle stitched on her back. For a moment the villagers talked amongst each other, murmuring and whispering and Sakura took in these noises while she displayed her back to them. The raised brow Indra sent her when she uttered her question fell when he took notice of her gaze. She didn't look at him, instead kept her sights on her feet, but even though she smiled it didn't reach her eyes- and those eyes of hers held a sort of emotion he hasn't seen before.

When she finally turned, the circle faced him, and her shoulders sagged upon seeing the sad smile of the villagers.

"Forgive us, milady, but none of us had seen anyone who bore your mark… or at least, looked similarly to you." the elder answered apologetically.

"I see… I thank you all kindly. May the goddess be with you." she snapped her fan open and flapped it slowly by her nose. Though her words were genuine, this time it was her eyes that smiled, and her lips were bitten back in a manner hard enough to almost bleed.

.

"Where did you learn kata?" he finally stopped and asked. Sakura turned around and rose a delicate brow at him, her lips still hidden behind her red and white fan.

"Kata… is that what you call them?" she started, before turning and moving her fan a bit to show the upturned corner of her mouth. "I certainly did not survive and earn respect among my fellow vagabonds and travelers simply by being weak-willed and frail as expected of women of our era."

"That does not answer my question."

"Well I was not attempting to answer your question either." She huffed amusedly. Indra's brows drew closer. "I must say I have not seen your style of form before. I admire your technique, you do not have to move nary an inch from where you stood. It reminds me of the elegance and swiftness of noble birds- a peacock perhaps? If so then it suits you very well. I myself am fonder of the graceful ferocity of the tiger."

"Stop speaking in riddles. Just answer my question, wo-"

"Sakura. I have a name, Indra. It would please me greatly if you refer me as such." Indra blinked. He opened his mouth to retort but snapped it shut when Sakura suddenly snapped her fan closed on her palm. The usual mirth displayed on her lips was more prominent, and her eyes gleamed in greater shine. For every step she took, hands behind her back, Indra's brows furrowed. "Why the sudden curiosity, Indra? Do you wish to learn? To discover? Does it exhilarate you to wonder? Does it excite you to seek greater power? _Do you wish to learn about me?_ "

A shiver ran up his spine, his ears felt like it was being burnt, and there was a sensation that thrummed his chest at what she implied.

To learn, he remembered craving for more when he finished every tome in his father's study.

To discover, as a child he always wanted to see what his father saw and more.

To wonder, yes- he wanted to unveil the secrets of chakra.

To learn more of her, she is an enigma that's oh so tempting to be solved… a rather _intriguing_ enigma…

To seek greater power-

 _ **You already have it.**_

 _ **You have the eyes that see the truth.**_

 _ **You have the power to change the future of Ninshu,**_

 _ **And all you have to do is rid yourself of…**_

 _ **Love**_ _ **.**_

The shadow's whispers echoed in his ears and he was reminded of his true goal. He will succeed his father's name, and he will mold the world of Ninshu in a way he deem fit. This entire journey is nothing but a farce. Indra doesn't need to seek anything, he already has it- the _sharingan_.

Sakura leaped back before it happened. Indra's chakra swelled and surged, its power exuded him to a degree that it rattled the trees and made all the birds flee. When he glowered at her with his red eyes, tomoes spinning in a display of power, Sakura swallowed but held her ground as she refused to turn from his gaze.

"I do not seek _anything_ , for I have _everything_ , and once I claim my father's name, I will want _nothing_."

They held their stares for a length of time, neither wanted to break from the other. However Indra's irk returned the more he realized the pink-haired woman will not bow to him. So he breaks contact, turns on his heel, and surged his chakra onto the soles of his feet, leaving dents on the soil at the force of his strength.

Once his back was turned and he had gone some distance, Sakura released the breath she had held and felt her back lean over a tree trunk.

She shook her head and offered her goddess a silent prayer. No, she cannot falter now.

Whatever demon had whispered in his ears, she will eradicate. It is not too late, there is still light in him, she had _seen_ it. Indra is a leader, more so a seeker- a creator. He is not a weapon nor a tool to be used by whatever shadow that enticed him.

Asking for guidance and success, Sakura took a deep breath, pumped chakra onto her feet, and sprinted in pursuit.

* * *

 **One moon = a cycle of about 27 days so roughly around a month.**

 **Sennight = a week**

 **I'll be following the 3-episode (in this case, 3-chapter) rule this time.**

 **So once again!**

 **I will continue depending on your responses!**

 **Ciao~!**


	4. False Stars

Indra took a deep breath as he unfurled his map hidden in his traveling pack, willing himself to ignore the random small bouts of giggles from the woman bathing in the stream from behind the boulder he sat from. A man who has lived in lavish can only last so long without a good bath, and apparently Sakura is as adamant to wash off the dirt and grime from their travels as he. He had already finished bathing from his side of the boulder and had opted to study his map again while he waited. The pink-haired woman had found a way to tease him once more, much to his displeasure. Though he was not entirely opposed to her proposition to bathe at each side of the boulder to shield one away from the other.

" _I do warn you to not act like a voyeur like the last I bathe, Indra, or else I will smite thee."_ As if to prove herself, she lightly tapped her fist on his head before giggling and turning to her side of the big rock. As much as he wanted to retort, she had already escaped him.

Both of them knew that what happened was an accident, and their actions had been justified as self-defense (him) and to preserve their dignity (her), yet Sakura still continues to tease him of being a pervert. The first was an accident! As if he has any intention to look at her bare form again- or any woman's bare form at that. He assumed it all looked the same underneath. Still, there was a feeling of creeping heat enveloping his ears whenever he remembers the expanse of her smooth skin, especially the kiss they shared after.

Shaking his head as if to dispel the unwarranted thoughts physically, Indra shoved the map closer to his face. With a piece of charcoal he had kept with him, he marked down the paths and places of importance to mark as added landmarks missing from the map. By the direction they are heading, they will soon reach a twin of mountains where they would have to traverse through a pass between them to cross through the other side.

"That area is false." Sakura commented as she suddenly came out of the blue and poked her finger at the center of the dotted area marking the two mountains.

"Have you no concept of distance, woman?" he grunted as he scooted away from where she sat herself near him. His eyes trailed back on the map and felt a small tug at the corner of his lips, knowing that his refusal of calling the pinkette by name would give her displeasure.

With her unamused look that was left ignored, Sakura rolled her eyes up and shook her head slightly. She knew that he was purposely not addressing her name as a form of revenge for her teasing. Still, she has great hope that the stubborn man will come around soon.

Her finger made way to his map again and drew an invisible horizontal line that cut the mountain in half. She then moved her hand in time with her words, mapping out the changes in his outdated map. "The earth rumbled in that land more than two decades ago. The tremors were so great that it had ultimately torn the land asunder into two separate lands. The only way to travel through, is by using a boat to cross to the other side of the great river where the other half of the mountain now resides. However, that great earth-shake did not only split the mountains, but it had also destroyed the pass people used. The only way to cross the broken land is either to climb above and beyond the mountain, or circle it till one has reached the great river."

Indra frowned, "If what you say is true, then either way the time of travel will be extended greatly for at least an entire sennight."

"Of course what I said was true," she tutted, rising to her feet. "I have crossed these mountains and river myself. However, the time I travelled had only cost me an entire day. I have reached the other side just before dark twilight."

"You lie." He growled, snapping his head towards her with an accusing glare.

Undeterred, Sakura rose her chin up in confidence as she stood. "I have never lied to you, Indra. In fact, I would have reached the port village if I had not stopped and admired the false stars that belong to no sky."

"Now I know that you are illusioned. The stars belong to no other but to the sky, as are the sun and moon."

"I have not believed it as well at first until I have seen it with my own eyes. Once I had, I was convinced that the earth should not be taken as it is. The things I have seen in my travels is only proof that there is much beauty and mystery that are hidden and yet to be discovered." A knowing smile graced her lips as she placed her hands on her back and tipped her back down, green eyes locking with his dark pools. "Would you like to come see?"

Indra blinked hard, growling as he rolled up his map and ignore the fast beating of his heart. "I did not come here to these chaotic lands to sightsee. I am here to do a mission in my father's name."

"I admire your faithfulness to you father, but did you not say that this is all just a farce?" she asked testily, eyes not leaving his form as he stood and secured his belongings.

Without looking back, Indra's hands fisted on his sides, eyes glaring with a bitter glint. "Yes, a waste of a time farce."

.

"Indra?" Sakura cocked a brow at his back.

He stopped once they were at the base of the mountain. The dirt path they've been following veered a hard right. It's rough and jagged walls would make it difficult but very possible to climb. One of the options she presented were to climb up and over the giant land formation, it will save them at least a few days of travel rather than circling the mountain. To the norm, this path would be impossible unless the traveler has the patience, strength, stamina, and knowledge of facing an intimidating wall rock that almost touched the clouds. Yet both of them knew that they are very capable of climbing with their gift of chakra. So what is this hesitance?

' _Ah but he has yet to master the art of lizard's feet._ ' She giggled silently to herself as she fanned herself over her mouth, referencing the reptile's ability to walk on ridiculous angulations and even on aqueous surfaces.

"How exactly were you able to cross this mountain in less than a day?" he asked finally.

She hummed, "Instead of traversing over or around it, I traveled _through_ it. Would you like to use that method instead?"

Reluctance was evident in his features. His lips were hard pressed into a thin line, not knowing what to say or do as his pride and duty warred within himself. He almost regretted looking back at her and seeing her knowing smile. However she didn't wait for his response and giggled. To her, seeing that brief spark in his eyes was more than enough of an answer. She snapped her fan closed and hid it in her obi before stepping up next to him, only to turn left of the opposite side of the road.

"Come," she motioned as she parted through the bushes.

The way she led him through was nowhere near smooth. The forest was almost covered with berry bushes, and the thick thickets and brambles often caught the cloth of his robes and her red hakama. Indra was almost tempted to create a path of his own and leave a trail of ashes of those nuisance foliage in his wake.

Sakura suddenly stopped and fell. Indra's feet immediately dashed to see what happened only to find her skidding down her geta with masterful balance on an eroded dirt wall before landing gracefully at the bottom of a trench. She motioned her hand to him and Indra followed suit. Following the trench led them to a cave at the end, carved explicitly at the base of the mountain. With its hidden location surrounded by towering trees and overbearing foliage, the darkness that immediately blanketed at the mouth was instantly eerie and the looming silence that it brought was a warning and promised danger if not taken heed.

"Here we are!" Sakura exclaimed, opening her arms out in glee. Her cheery voice of surprise was a great contrast to the cave's menace. Indra stared at her, unimpressed. That is, until she took out her canteen of water strapped onto her hip and washed her hands. After which she took out her knife from her pouch and cut a delicate line across her palm. She didn't even winced. "Now, I advise you to keep your silence, Indra. The master of this cave is very sensitive, so please observe while I negotiate."

Indra's lips parted but couldn't find the words to say and all he could do was watch as Sakura turned on her heel and approached the cave. With her hand that was already dripping with the crimson liquid of her blood, smeared a single wide stroke at the rocky edge. As Sakura washed the blood from her hand, they waited, and it wasn't long until they heard a faint hissing coming from deep within the inky darkness. The malevolence was enough to disturb the birds as the hissing and scuttling grew louder.

There was a sudden shift in the air and Indra felt it instantly. Like a sudden change in the tide, he felt a stream of subtle, foreign power shift from the trees, the earth, and wind. His sharingan activated on impulse but his eye could _not see anything_ , but it did let him _feel_ the small ripples of an invisible stream from Sakura, then to her blood on the wall, and then to the emptiness of the cave.

The pinkette took a few steps back and it was as if the darkness had been physically pulled from within, taking the form of giant claws, legs, and a long tail raised high in the air with promised potent venom. Indra stared back with slightly wider eyes, not out of fear- _heavens no_ \- but more of fascination. He had seen animals of greater size than norm, his father even had a friend named Gamamaru that was much bigger than normal toads and possessed an intelligence great enough to understand and speak human speech. However he has yet to see a creature of _titanic_ size.

"You summoned me, blossom?" the deep rumble of the giant scorpion's voice echoed eerily from its unmoving mandibles as it lowered its massive flat head. Full red eyes shifted minutely to stare down at the unflinching pinkette before it.

Sakura smiled sweetly and dared to brush a hand along one of the scorpion's claw. "Sasori, how are you?"

"Sleepy." It hissed.

She pulled back and pressed her palms together, bowing her head. "My apologies!"

"Does not matter now." Long limbs scuttled around her slightly as if to assess her form. "I see you are well. Very good. How does your quest fare?"

She heaved out a sad sigh, her shoulders sagging as her brows furrowed. "Inconclusive."

The scorpion hummed in response, "And what of this… _male_? Though I only feed upon the fools that trespass my domain, I have no qualms of feasting on a present human flesh. So long as it is not you, dear blossom."

Indra widened his legs into a stance in reflex at the scorpion's blunt intentions, but Sakura stepped directly align with him as if to shield him from the great arachnid.

"Oh Sasori, you flatter me with your great affection towards me. However, Indra here is not a meal to be offered. He is a companion of mine. Which is why I called you upon your cave. We wish to cross the mountain."

The scorpion's tail rattled and its claws snapped dangerously for a few times, showing his displeasure. "You know how much I detest that notion. However, you also know that I can never deny you anything, dear blossom."

Sakura smiled up fondly, "I swear to heal all scratches and mar on your armor, Sasori. I know how high you pride yourself, with your shell's beauty."

A rumble of pleasure seeped from the scorpion as its tail rattled again this time in glee. "Very well."

With a skip in her step, Sakura hopped up on the massive claw and onto the thick carapace. Settling herself there in a comfortable position as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She casted her glance at his way and winked before patting the spot behind her.

.

Travelling through a tunnel under a mountain with absolutely zero visibility on the back of a giant scorpion was extremely disturbing. It was a weird experience, yes, but it rattled Indra in a way that made him- dare he say it- _vulnerable_. His eyes were his pride and greatest form of power, even if he has yet to uncover all of its secrets. It's as if he had been blindfolded and left at the mercy of his other senses, especially his hearing and smell. Below him, he felt the rocking motion of the carapace as the arachnid maneuvered them in the darkness of its domain. With barely any wind to cleave, he couldn't quite tell how fast they were moving. With his ears, he caught the screeching of bats every now and then above them among the hard scuttling of the scorpion legs along the hard rocks. At one point he even heard the steady stream and crashing of a hidden waterfall.

Indra remained silent as he kept his balance while Sakura sat in front of him. The soft, silky tendrils of her long pink hair would sometimes caress his face, making him catch a whiff of her natural floral scent. He hadn't realized he had closed his eyes in the darkness. While he kept himself on balance, he couldn't help but feel lost as he unknowingly savored her sweet scent.

Abruptly, the rocking stopped and he felt Sakura shift from her seat before landing on the hard floor below.

"Indra?" she called for him in the darkness.

"Hn." He responded, not knowing exactly where she was since her voice echoed throughout the silent walls. Indra's shoulders stiffened when he felt her small, delicate hand touch his.

"Follow the direction of my hand and cast a fire." she instructed.

"Why?"

"Please?"

Her voice was gentle with nary any mirth, it was firm but not enough to make it sound like a demand. Curious on what she could possibly be up to, Indra faced the direction of where her hand touched him and pulled back. The skin on his hand felt strangely cold the moment her hand was gone. In the darkness, he formed his hand signs he committed into memory before taking a deep breath and a steady line of fire came spewing from his mouth.

The sudden brightness in the dark cave earned him screeches and hisses from the cave dwellers as they hurriedly fled. It momentarily hurt his eyes but Indra did not falter, even if he was surprised to find Sakura below him. Her hand was raised high as she held up a torch to where his fire burned through the air. When the fire breath thinned out, Indra adjusted his eyes to the light of Sakura's torch that illuminated her visage with a soft, orange glow.

"Come." She motioned and once he set his feet on the ground, he felt a shudder when she suddenly grabbed his hand and almost dragged him to who-knows-where.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked, careful not to stumble on any invisible stone or platform. The torch could only light so much in this empty darkness.

"You will see." She replied with promise.

The pinkette lowered the flame and patiently guided the both of them between rows of jagged stalagmites as insects scurried away in fright, until they reached a crack in the wall that had just the right size for a man like Indra to enter. Without letting go of his hand, Sakura entered through the gap and carefully treaded through the confined space. They walked for a few steps until they were out on an open space again.

Indra heard a faint sound of water drops and his mind wracked on where she could have possibly taken him that only led to more darkness.

"We are here." She announced softly and Indra looked down in question. However, when she blew on the torch, Sakura had once again surprised him.

The moment the fire was put out, the entire expanse of the room was instantly illuminated with blue. Indra's heart leaped as he stared at the numerous dots of light that littered the walls- over hi and yonder, here and there beside and behind them, above the seemingly endless ceiling, and on the stalagmites below and stalactites above. The collective glow illuminated the lake beautifully before them. It was as if they were in an entirely different world. If they didn't consider that they were in fact in a cave, then they might mistake themselves to be atop the highest peak in the world, watching, unhindered, at the endless stars above the dark blanket of a cloudless night sky.

"False stars that belong to no sky," he breathed, remembering the pinkette's words. Eyes still marveled at the almost twinkling dots of blue above them.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Sakura sighed beside him, lost in her own awe at the breathtaking sight.

"If they are not stars, then what are they?"

"They are worms."

Indra's head snapped to her incredulously, "Worms?"

She hummed, "Glow worms. They are very rare. Among the many caves I have explored, this is the only place so far that housed these magnificent creatures. Unfortunately, I do not know how such a phenomena could happen. However, I would like to think that their mystery tells a lesson."

"What lesson?"

"That even the most seemingly insignificant creatures of the world, could still create something so breathtakingly beautiful."

She looked up to him with a meaningful smile, and Indra felt his chest swell as he inhaled more than he normally would. Turning his head back to the bioluminescent worms on the dark walls of the cave, as endless as the actual stars in the infinite sky, Indra couldn't help but feel a sort of _content_ \- one that he hadn't felt in years. And even when he was surrounded by the inky blackness of the cave, no shadow had whispered in his ear.

He had yet to pull away from her hand.

.

Indra kept silent, eyes transfixed on Aini's hands until the glow of green hue faded out and the ugly scar on the carapace was no more. Satisfied with her work, Sakura patted the giant scorpion's claw.

"As good as newly shed skin, Sasori." She smiled up and the arachnid rattled its tail in glee.

"Most splendid, blossom." It hummed and lowered its pointed tail before her. Her eyes sparked at the notion and hastily took out an empty vial in her pouch. With her hand directing the telson of its tail, she pointed the vial at its tip and potent purple venom filled the container to the brim. Satisfied, Sakura capped and covered the vial in a secure cloth, careful not to touch a drop of the dangerous venom.

"Where will you be headed now, Sasori?"

"To the far southern east where the sun is always at its peak and the lands are devoid of life and green. I have great plans to establish a new territory in those arid lands."

She smiled fondly and gently kissed the flat head, "Fruitful travels to the desert for you, Sasori."

"And to you, blossom. Summon me again upon your will."

With one last hiss, the giant scorpion turned and scuttled back inside the cave, merging with the darkness once more until the rippling rumbles of its legs faded along into nothingness. Sakura turned on her heel and smiled up at Indra as she took out her fan and used it to point at the huts at the bank of the river. Appearing like small toys from their vantage point at the side of the mountain.

"Less than a day." She raised her chin up snootily, referencing the sun that had slowly began its descent over the horizon as Indra rolled his eyes.

"How did you come in contact with that creature?"

"Sasori?" she fanned herself. "I stumbled upon him whilst I was but a naïve girl and had trespassed his home. He was very much smaller than he is now. Fortunately at that time, he did not thought of me as a meal. He was the one who showed me that room of false stars."

"Why must you use blood?" he asked, wondering why she had to cut herself to summon the beast.

Sakura hummed, "Blood seemed to be a sort of _defining_ _source,_ of an unbreakable contract. I believe that it enables him to recognize me easier as his friend lest he would have attacked us blindly. Sasori is a very sensitive and territorial creature. I apologize, I do not quite understand it myself."

"How exactly did you stumble into this cave?"

Her fan snapped closed and she sauntered towards him with the teasing glint on her eyes and a smirk returning to her face. "Are you curious about me, Indra?"

He frowned and wrinkled his nose as he whipped his head away. Sakura giggled for another successful tease as she stepped back and resumed to fanning herself. They walked down the side of the mountain and into the forest floor until they were once again at the dirt path where they could see the walls that made up the small port village.

"What did you do just now?" Indra couldn't help but press on. At Sakura's questionable gaze, he added. "The way you used chakra earlier. I have seen my brother perform something similar."

"Your brother can heal?"

"I believe that is what it conjures. It is the only jutsu that I…" he looked away, hesitant. "…cannot perform."

"Jutsu…" she rolled the term over her tongue, processing the meaning and committing it to memory just like the other foreign terms Indra mentioned as he slowly pressed his questions day by day. Admittedly, she is quite pleased with his progress even if there were times the shadow that whispered in his ear would rear its ugly head and extinguish the fire of a seeker in his eyes. "Oh do wipe away that scornful look on your handsome face, Indra. There is no shame in admitting one's dearth. Your… _chakra_ is to fire as I am to water. There are abilities granted and denied from the affinity of our nature. Though I admit that mending the broken and seeing the fault inside living creatures requires a much higher mastery of control than norm. I myself cannot explain it deliberately."

Indra's heart leaped. His mind echoed the way she had just called him handsome that made his chest swell with pride and a smirk tugged at his lips. "You think I am handsome?"

He asked with a hint of smugness as he took a daring step closer to her. Sakura's brow arched at his words, not missing the way he just deliberately casted aside the main course of their conversation. Nevertheless, she didn't deny the strange fluttering in her stomach as she held up her fan to her nose to hide the way her teeth chewed on her lower lip. As versatile as she is like steady flowing water, she could still be a rushing current that could knock away stone.

She moved her fan aside a bit to show him her own smirk. "How conceited of you to ask, _Indra_ , but to answer your question… well, I certainly did not consider pressing my lips onto you if I had not considered you to be an attractive man."

Of course, she didn't have to mention that she did it so that she could release the very small dose of poison hidden under her tongue to knock him out, and that her thinking of him as handsome was only a fraction of her reason. Still, she did enjoyed the way his smirk fell into a thin line at her confession.

Her pink eyelashes fluttered deliberately as they locked gazes, and of course, Sakura refused to be backed into a corner without a fight.

"How indecorous." Indra accused, but the threat was far less intimidating in his reluctance.

Anyone would've been offended but Sakura didn't miss the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed. Using that as initiative, she dared to step closer, invading his personal space without a care until their feet nearly touched each other. Indra kept his face stoic as he stared down at the pinkette that was a head shorter than him, holding his ground. Her hand came up to tangle on his cloak, and with a bit of effort, pulled his head down till his ear was at level with her face and her warm breath fanned hotly in his ear.

"You say so, but I seem to recall your tongue invading _my_ mouth. _Ahh_ would it possibly be your first time to kiss someone, _Indra_?" she breathed his name in a way no woman should. In fact, her shameless choice of words was more than enough to make any man color in red and spark a scandal amongst many. It could easily accuse her of being a harlot. However she had always found it oddly pleasurable to tease the brunette and the way his shoulders stiffened brought a shudder up her own spine. Aini giggled, "Oh how _interesting_. It was my first kiss as well."

As quickly as it came, the pinkette pulled away and turned on her heel. She refused to look at his expression mainly because she was merciful enough to save him the embarrassment and also to hide her own pleased expression. Sakura giggled to herself silly with her chin up in triumph as she resumed walking up the dirt road with a spring in her step. All the while she fanned herself, as if to physically fan away the heat that coursed through her cheeks and the tip of her ears.

* * *

 **I'm glad I'm not the only one who's into IndraSaku. I hope that more fanfics would be made about them in the future.**

 **SHOUT-OUT TO:**

' _ **momoko09**_ **': As much as I like the idea of Indra and Sakura visiting a brothel, I don't think a place like that had existed yet- historic-wise. However it did inspire me with another idea that's similar. After all, Indra needs a lot of exposure and I intend to do that in their adventure. Thank you very much.**

 **If any of you has any suggestions, please don't be shy and leave it in the reviews. I hold everything into consideration and who knows, your ideas might even be featured in the later chapters- with credits to you of course.**

 **To press a concern, I hope Indra isn't a bit too OOC. This timeline does follow the blank period in Hagoromo's test. We didn't see much on how Indra did his job compared to Ashura so I thought it was the perfect setting to bring the two characters closer. I always thought that Indra was a nice and sweet guy until that nuisance (Zetsu) came and ruined everything. I noticed in the filler episodes that Indra is quite fond in learning and being innovative, yet still has concerns on the consequences of his inventions. I think he would've been a great leader without the whole bitter, anger management issues. So that's the conflict I'll be pressing on him in this fic.**

 **As for Aini (I chose that name because Indra and Ashura are hindi names and Aini does mean 'flower', I thought it would be perfect.)- Sakura, well, I like the notion that you guys think of her as a mystery so I'll leave it at that! And you'll find out in the later chapters!**

 **Thank you very much and hopefully this fic will reel in more readers and inspire IndraSaku fanfics in the future.**

 **Ciao~!**


	5. Reverence

His twin dark pools continued to observe the pinkette who became swarmed with the villagers. Indra stood in silence as he purposely lagged behind to watch men, women, children, and the elderly, flutter around her like butterflies over a rare flower. They haven't gone far from the entrance of the village walls when the villagers dropped everything they've been doing to meet her. Some even came out of their huts just to greet her as if she was a queen visiting her loyal subjects.

The burning fire of curiosity inside him dominated his urges to turn tail and leave her for good. It was the perfect opportunity! The infuriating wench was finally occupied! He had plenty of reasons to leave and plenty more ways to do it that would not leave any tracks behind. Instead, his feet remained stuck frozen by the entrance of the village because his subconscious chose the one sole reason as opposed to the many others.

Indra marveled. His mind wracked around possible ideas or theories that would explain to him what was going on. Why? Why do they flock around her like pious devotees over a goddess? What could Aini possibly had done to earn the reverence of these… commoners? Thus was what his logic asked adamantly to himself. Yet his eyes focused solely on Sakura's face that was for once, not hidden under her fan.

She had a very beautiful face and it made her glow.

Indra snapped when she turned to him and for a moment, he thought that she might've heard what he was thinking. She walked up to him and held his sleeve from under his cloak. The smile on her face remained as she dragged him to one of the village huts.

"Aini-sama! My dear, I am so pleased to see you again!" exclaimed an old man who came up and held her hands.

"I am happy to see you as well, Rindo," Sakura replied and squeezed the man's hands back before turning to the old woman behind him, "Reiya."

She hugged the woman like an old friend- who's obviously the man's wife. All the while Indra kept his silence even when the annoying tic at the corner of his eye throbbed at the villagers peering through the doors and windows of the hut.

"Come! Come! Sit with us!" Reiya ushered then around their home whilst Rindo brought flat cushions for them to sit on their raised, wooden floor.

Indra's nose scrunched in disgust at the mediocrity of it all. Yet his curiosity burned ever hotter and he supposed that he could grit his teeth and watch how Sakura will play this scene this time.

"It is really wonderful to see you all again and I am glad that everyone is in good health," the pinkette said genuinely as Reiya offered them tea. When a cup was offered to him, Indra merely stared and said nothing. Not even a polite thanks, "I apologize for my abrupt visit. I must have disturbed your work and-"

"Nonsense!" Rindo exclaimed, "Aini-sama, this port village may never hold a candle to what you deserve after what you have done for us, but rest assured that our gates will always be open for you and whatever you bid for us, we will treat as your command."

Indra's eyes widened ever so slightly at the man's proclamation. Now that notion had really fired him up. Just what did Sakura do to acquire this treatment?

"Please, sir, I told you there is no debt need to be paid," Sakura smiled politely, but when the man and woman's faces turned aghast and opened their mouths to retort, she sighed audibly in defeat, "But if you must, may you be so kind as to provide a boat for my companion and I? We wish to cross the Great River."

As she said that, the man and woman turned to him in assessment. Indra, however, did not find it pleasing to be stared at by these inferior people. It also irked him that they did not show any form of respect to him as they showed Sakura. Even if he hadn't done anything to win their favors, these lower life forms should recognize a superior being if they see one. Well, no matter. He supposed that he'll just have to show them.

The brunette crossed his arms in defiance and raised his chin to look down on them. Hopefully, their skulls weren't so thick to not notice his message. In response, the woman's eyes widened before she quickly looked down; whilst the man's brows knitted together.

"Indra."

He heard her speak his name and he shifted his dark eyes over her. For the first time in the short span of time they started traveling toge- **no** , in the short span of time _she_ started _stalking_ him, she graced him an expression he never thought the usually teasing and smug woman would ever do.

She stared at him seriously. Her eyes narrowed and the emeralds steeled in silent warning. Her soft, naturally pink lips were pressed into a thin line for the first time. She wasn't smirking, she wasn't smiling, heck- she didn't even look the least bit taunting. As if it told him to stop what he was trying to convey.

Indra, however, was too taken by her new expression that his whole attention fixed onto her. Though his gaze lowered, his arms remained crossed over his chest.

Sakura swiftly turned her head and plastered a new polite smile on her face. She raised her hand and gestured towards him, "This is my companion, Indra. We are on our way to the region at the west."

Reluctance was palpable on the man's face more so when he turned to Indra again. It wasn't until Sakura faked a cough to break the silence when Rindo snapped his gaze back to the pinkette.

"Ahem, ah yes," he cleared his throat and looked at Sakura meaningfully, "Aini-sama, I told you before and I will tell you a thousand times if I have to, you need not ask. Dear blossom, whatever your wish goes and if you wish to cross the Great River with your _companion_ … then I will prepare the best boat the village has to accommodate you and I will escort you both across myself. However, I am afraid you will have to postpone your travel for tonight, Aini-sama. The sun has fallen and the Great River is perilous when the moon is nigh. It is simply too dangerous to cross the river at this hour but if it appeases you, you can resume your travel early tomorrow at dawn."

Sakura smiled gently and nodded, "You know the Great River best, Rindo. If that is what you think best, then so shall it be. We will have to trouble you for tonight with another body to bed and mouths to feed."

"Now see here, milady," Reiya spoke. She seemed to have snapped from Indra's earlier intimidation, "Whatever you bid could never be trouble for us! I will go and prepare the finest room for you and Indra, and the best bedding we have."

She stood and up excitedly and excused herself. Rindo clapped his hands and stood himself, "Wonderful! If you will excuse me, I will go over to the others and we shall prepare the best and biggest fish we caught today. How does that sound to you, Aini-sama?"

"That sounds wonderful," she smiled and the older man left through the string of beads to give them their privacy. Once Rindo's presence completely left the house, Sakura snapped her head at Indra. Her expression serious and condescending, "Just what were you thinking, Indra?"

He blinked in surprise. It was the first time she had ever snapped at him, "I do not under-"

Sakura shifted from her position so they were facing each other better and her knees were nearly touching his. Due to their differences in height, the pinkette couldn't be any taller than his chin. He would've caught himself laughing at the absurdity of it all if her face didn't have the expression like she was seconds from ripping his head off his shoulders.

"These are good people, Indra," she stressed, showing her full set of clean teeth, "I know you think they are not anywhere near your absurd standard with people but it does not justify that you can just look at them like they are hopeless insects ready to be stepped on!"

Indra scowled. He sneered, "How dare you talk to me like that, woman! Do you feel like acting all high and mighty towards me will make these good people revere you even more? I could not care less if they kiss the very ground you walk or sing you praises. You are delusional if you think my need for their reverence pushed me to my eleventh-hour. I was not the one in need to stoop so low to cross a mere river! I do not need their help and I most certainly never needed yours!"

For the second time that day, Sakura surprised him by suddenly grabbing his collar. She pulled him towards her and Indra winced when she slammed their foreheads together. His scowl turned into snarls and his throat rumbled deep, low, and dangerous with his growl.

"I knew your pride to reach crazy zeniths but would your temple of selfish crumble if you act civil to these good-hearted people?" she hissed, "You may not know what they have endured for years but it does not grant you the power to disrespect them. You would do well not to cross me, _**boy**_."

Indra's eyes widened at her audacity. His hands fisted tightly at his sides as his eyes bed red. However Sakura fearlessly took him head on and stared back at his sharingan with her emerald gaze. Just as how it did not affect her the least bit, it stoked his flare of ire even more.

"Get your filthy hands off of me," he ordered between gritted teeth.

For a few moments, they just stayed there. Challenging and unwavering. Their prides held them from taking the minute step of submission against the audacity of each other. Indra felt fed up with the stalker woman and made a move to grab her wrists. However Sakura removed them the second his fingertips touched her bare skin and sprang up.

"Behave yourself," she ordered back. Her burning green eyes looked down on his sitting form. Before Indra could retort back, Sakura turned on her heel, passed through the curtain of beads and out the hut.

* * *

 _That woman! That- that siren! Just who does she think she is?!_

Indra paced angrily like an enraged, caged lion. He felt his chakra swirl and coil like a cyclone causing destruction and all he could see was white hot fury. As much as it surprised him that the frail-looking woman had a side to her akin to a provoked tiger, it does not give her the right to just order him around like that! Just because they travelled together for a few days- he didn't even invite her to his journey! She just saw it fit to tag along! If she hadn't come along then he wouldn't have to go through this farce!

Yet if it wasn't for her, he would still be in the forest following and making his own path from his outdated map. He would've climbed the mountain if she wasn't there and led him through the caves on a giant scorpion's back.

But at least my dignity will still be intact!

For a while, Indra argued with himself just like that. After their spat, Sakura left for who-knows-where and he snuck out of village chief's hut. He tried to cross the river himself but he never rode on a boat before. He also put his theory to the test with using chakra to scale trees. However walking on water was much harder than it seemed and he had failed to gather the right amount of chakra to float him over the surface. The most he had done was lasting only five seconds before falling into the water. His clothes had long since dried up with his careful use of fire chakra. It also didn't help that he was still greatly enraged with Sakura that his usually perfect concentration would crumble into pieces and focus only at the thoughts of her.

Does Sakura know how to walk on water? He bets that she does.

Indra resisted the urge to pull on his hair at the thought of that woman besting him on something yet again. In fact, he felt immensely frustrated just by the mere thought of her. Why does he even bother? He should just ditch her now and save himself the torture. Yet when he closed his eyes and his head throbbed in fury at the thought of her, his heart thumped wildly at the burning green fire behind her eyes.

Incensed, Indra made a series of complicated hand signs. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with as much air as he could, and through his lips, fire shot out into the open air. The bright ball of flame was so hot it caused him to perspire and the water by the bank bubbled and released steam. Like a dragon, he was unforgiving as he scorched the air with his unrelenting fire. Indra poured all his frustrations out of that one technique and he did not stop until the last bit of ember left his lips.

The ball of flame that was like a bright beacon in the distance slowly faded away. Whether his tantrum caught the attention of the villagers, Indra honestly didn't care. He breathed puffs of air to relax his burning nerves and turbulent chakra. The darkness of the night creeped back over him as the bubbles in the water popped away like nothing happened except for the trace of soot and burns on the rocks of the shore.

Indra ran a hand over his hair. He's prone to temper tantrums every now and again especially when he's dealing with idiots and pink-haired, beautiful infuriating women, but stress is not good for him.

He fell on his knees and cupped the water with his hands. He leaned in to take a sip but was suddenly interrupted with a loud shout.

"DON'T DRINK THAT!"

The brunette scowled at the source which were a pair of children coming towards him.

"Do not drink that, sir!" said a little boy.

"Actually he can," nudged a girl a little older beside him.

"Well yes, but we have better water now so there is no need to drink from the river," the boy beamed and suddenly grabbed onto Indra's sleeve, "Come sir! I will show you!"

First, rude older people, and now meddlesome children? Could his day get any worse? Indra decided to humor the boy and let him drag him towards one of the water wells of the village between two nearby huts. The boy did the liberty of dropping the bucket into the hole encircled with rocks. With the help of his sister, which Indra deduced based from their obvious resemblance, they pulled the bucket back up with the rope attached to it. They settled it down at their feet and with a wooden ladle attached to the bucket, they scooped the clearer water and offered it to him.

Indra openly narrowed his eyes at the offered water. His blatant suspicion didn't seem to affect the (oblivious) children as they stared up at him- especially the boy- with twinkling eyes. Indra sighed and took the ladle. He drank the cool, fresh water and greedily asked for more.

"You were so amazing, sir!" the boy beamed as he gulped his fifth drink. Indra raised a brow at him as the boy rambled on and made gestures with his arms, "You inhaled like this and then fire came out of your mouth like BAM! It was so like the dragons Sakura-sama told us about! It was so amazing! Are you a dragon, sir? Where are your horns? And your tail? And your giant wings?!"

The brunette blinked, "I am not a dragon."

"Sora!" his older sister reprimanded. She bowed before him in apology, "I am so sorry, sir! Please forgive my little brother. His mind is still warped in fantasy and always talks about traveling the world one day."

"Seira! Stop that! I did not do anything wrong!" the boy flushed at his sister, "You saw what I saw too did you not?! I told you he is amazing like Sakura-sama! He is her friend after all! I was just praising him!"

Finally some respect. Indra blinked again upon hearing the boy's claim. Friends? Did this child seriously refer him and that… that wench as friends?! From that point on the siblings quarreled with each other back and forth. Countering with defense and shouting back at offense. He would've been entertained if it their argument only meant something more relevant-

"What about you?! You told mother and father that you want to be like Sakura-sama too!" Sora pointed an accusing finger at her, "Do not think that you are so subtle! I caught you in the woods treating rabbits."

Seira gasped and her cheeks flushed red in both anger and embarrassment, "W-Well, who doesn't want to be someone as great as Sakura-sama?!"

That annoying tic at the corner of his eye came back and Indra had to bite back a growl. Children worship that wench too?! Then like a stroke of ingenious, Indra called for both Sora and Seira's attentions.

"You seem to admire her very much," he noted. His dark eyes watched them both.

They both beamed, especially Seira, "Oh yes! We adore her very much! Sakura-sama saved mine and many of the villagers' lives after all."

"Really now? Can you tell me that story?"

Seira was more than eager to recount the tale of the mysterious blossom. Sora was too young to remember what happened a few years ago so he marveled at his sister's tale in silence. Indra learned that a few years ago, their village was suddenly plagued with sickness of an unknown source. They had trouble asking for help in the nearest villages because of the mountain and the dangerous creatures that reside in the forest. People here were mostly fishermen and humble farmers. None of them knew how to fight since they had no trouble before. Bandits would have trouble coming here and there was nothing that would entice them to raid their village. The occasional visitors they would receive were only travelers and merchants.

Within a month or so, the number of inflicted people covered the majority of the village's population and only a handful of healthy people were left. Seira was one of those victims of the mysterious plague. A tenth of the villagers have already died; they were on their last legs and were tempted to cast the remaining healthy people away for their own safety when a pink-haired woman with emerald eyes wearing a priestess' robes came to their village.

Seira told him that ' _Sakura-sama_ ' was the one who rid them of the disease. She said she used her powers to examine the sick villagers and took the remaining healthy people they have left high upstream. From there, they learned that from the previous storm, it swept the carcass of a giant bear, long dead, rotting and being feasted by scavengers. The decaying carcass stood in the way of river and with its large size, the water could not filter out the decay and thus contaminated the river downstream as well as their water wells, the fish and crops they eat.

It was thanks to Aini that they were able to rid themselves of the problem and she spent the rest of her time curing the ill back to their original health as well as the crippled and injured from long ago. Since then, the village has always been in debt to her and the people revered her. Not only did she saved their lives, Sakura also taught them of a method to filter the water coming from upstream in the wells. A few ways above the river, a wooden and paper contraption was there to make the water in the village clearer and fresher than ever before. It's also so this incident will never happen again.

Seira also said that because of this, they started putting up a symbol of overlapping circles that would form a flower with six petals. The village had also adapted the belief of worshipping a goddess. Sora then mentioned that the pinkette was currently visiting everyone in the village, jumping from one hut to another.

"And what does this symbol mean?" Indra asked.

"I am not really sure," Seira hummed, "I do not really understand it but father said that it is to help us help Sakura-sama find what she is looking for. I forgot what it was though."

At the end of the story, Indra wasn't sure that his discovery about the pinkette was a success or not. For one, at least he understood why this port village was practically worshiping her feet. Sakura literally saved them from the brink of death. Another, there was that symbol that he saw at the inn come up again. Just what does it mean? Sakura has a circle stitched at the back of her clothes. Her name, Aini, meant flower and the symbol was also associated with a flower. There's too much of a coincidence for it to not be ignored.

When it was time for dinner, there was a feast waiting for him prepared at the village square but it wasn't hard to guess that the villagers went about their way to do this for Sakura's sake and not his. He also learned that Sora and Seira were Rindo and Reiya's grandchildren whose parents also joined them that night. The feast went by in silence for Indra. Sakura would glance at him in suspicion every now and again whilst conversing with the villagers. The people laughed, sang, and danced around the pyre they built just for one night. Indra still couldn't grasp why the villagers would make a feast out of Sakura's visitation. Even if they all knew that they would be gone early in the morning.

"Indra-sama!" Sora suddenly came up to him, dragging a group of children behind him. The boy resorted to calling him by that honorific because he seemed to be in the illusion that he was 'friends' with Sakura. Not that he minded, of course. At least the boy respected him more than his elders, "Could you please show us your fire again? My friends did not believe me!"

He blinked at the notion. Did the boy seriously ask him for a show? Did he think that ninshu was a form of entertainment?! Yet, when he felt emerald eyes looking at him from his side, Indra swallowed the piece of fish meat in his mouth and performed the most basic of his created ninshu.

It was a simple technique he first invented as a child and he didn't need to use hand signs. He opened his palm and a ball of fire was formed. The children around him gasped and ooh-ed at the sight. He decided to kick it up a notch by letting the fire crawl over his entire hand.

"Does it hurt?!" gasped one.

"Is it burning your hand?!" asked another.

"No," he answered, "it does not hurt me but it might burn your skin so-"

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura staring at him again. This time, however, she wasn't only staring. The corner of her lips curled up into the smallest of smiles.

"So you should not come near me unless you want to get hurt."

For the rest of the night, Indra found himself performing basic techniques of his ninshu for children and eventually, the older villagers became entertained. He willed the fires he conjured to perform tricks in the air, turning them into the shapes of animals and such. At one point, Sakura decided to play along and used her own chakra to conjure blobs of water, turning them into shapes and have them play with his fire as well. It wasn't like when they were fighting on the first day they met. Their techniques did not destroy their surroundings, instead they formed faces of marvel, awe, glee, and excitement.

And suddenly Indra was remembered when he first created ninshu. How he was able to produce the same faces on his father's followers, his brother, and even his own father. It made him remember the first drive he had to further develop ninshu.

When their plates were empty, the pitchers dry, the fire in the pyre slowly died out, and their stomachs sated, Sakura and Indra were led to a spacey room and given, as promised, their best bedding.

"Did something happen?" Sakura asked once they petted down their beddings and pillows on the floor.

Indra didn't bother to give her an answer as he deftly laid down on his mattress and draped the blanket over his shoulder. Even with his back turned to her, he could hear Sakura sigh in frustration. She brushed down her un-braided hair before she decided to tuck herself in bed moments later. As the night carried on, Indra's eyes remained open. He could not find it in himself to fall asleep with the many questions lingering in his mind. Mainly about a certain pink-haired woman who managed to successfully irate him time and time again.

Who is she really? Where did she come from? Why does she travel the world alone? Where, how, and who taught her about chakra and ninshu? For a woman to brave the unknown world on her own and still remain as beautiful and delicate as her namesake-

Indra shook his head vigorously and closed his eyes. What good will these thoughts do him anyway? It's not as if answering them will bring him a step closer to greatness. If he asks, she may or may not answer and just tease him even more.

If he asks, that means he's curious. If he's curious, if he's curious. If he's curious, that means he's interested. If he's interested that means he cares, and if he cares, that mean he's-

For some unknown reason, Indra turned on his back. He felt himself swallow a lump in his throat at the sight of Sakura, sleeping peacefully- unperturbed and not bothered by the world, while the silver rays of the moon dress her through the open window with ethereal glow.

What is this? There were other beautiful girls in his father's clan. There were women that could smile and act just as coy.

Indra's thoughts were interrupted when something caught his eye. It was small, easily missed, and almost insignificant. There, between the fringes that curtained her forehead, was a mark he couldn't make out of. His hand was reaching out from the blanket before he even realized it and with the slightest of his fingertips, moved her pink locks away from her forehead.

It was a small, purple diamond. Where did that come from? Was it tattooed? Did she use makeup just like he would with his lashes? But he never once saw her use makeup.

"Indra…" she called softly in her sleep and Indra tried not to look anything else as she groggily opened her eyes, "Forgive me… I did not mean to be angry with you… I just care very much about these people… I-" she yawned, "thank you for playing with the children… they seem to be very taken with you… I am jealous…"

Even in her half-asleep state, she still managed to pout her lips at him. Indra's eyes fell on those lips he knew to have a softness he couldn't compare with. The corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly and brushed the rest of her tresses away from her face.

"Go to sleep," he whispered.

"Okay…" Sakura answered with a soft smile before her eyelids completely closed off her dazzling green eyes.

Early at the crack of dawn, Sakura and Indra were at the pier ready to board the boat prepared by Rindo who would escort them to the other side of the Great River himself. Even though it was so early in the morning, many of the villagers still came to the pier to bid Sakura farewell. Much to Indra's surprise, the children and even their parents wished for him a safe trip.

Beside him, Sakura looked at him with a meaningful smile and nudged his side. He waved back at the villagers.

"Ah! Now I remember!" Seira exclaimed once Sakura and Indra were but a dot in the distance.

"Remember what?" Sora yawned beside her.

"I remember now what those symbols are for! It is to help Sakura-sama find her missing family!"

* * *

Hagoromo choked on his tea so hard that he had to punch his chest to relieve himself. His old friend, Futami, was already at his side. A look of worry was on his face as he brought him a clean towel to wipe his mess with. But the wizened warrior couldn't care less if his tea had stained his pristine white clothes.

"I beg-" he coughed, "I beg your pardon? Are you certain that… it was _my_ Indra you had witnessed?"

Gamamaru rolled his eyes incredulously at him, "Of course it was Indra. I would not have believed it myself if I had not witnessed it with my own two eyes."

The horned man's eyes widened, absolutely dumbfounded. When Gamamaru returned to him with news of his sons' journeys, he did _not_ expect this turn of events in his eldest son's travels. He had already anticipated that Indra's mission will go about smoothly, and that he would expect more news from Ashura. _But this…_

"My son… with a woman… Indra with a woman…" he mumbled to himself. Not even his mother's betrayal had brought him to this level of surprise.

"If I may, Hagoromo-sama," Futami interjected, "Indra _is_ at _that_ age and it could be possible that even he had taken a fancy on a woman he'd come across with."

"Are you sure that… _she_ is a woman?" Hagoromo asked the toad, purple eyes still wide.

The brown toad crossed his arms, "Of course I know she is a female! I dare say she is even considered gorgeous by human standards. Your son met her whilst they were both bathing under a waterfall."

"What?!" It was Futami who expressed his surprise verbally. As for Indra's father, his grey skin had turned as white as his clothes.

"Uhh…" Gamamaru chuckled nervously and feigned a cough, "Indra does not seem to mind this woman's company though. They have been travelling together since they met. I even saw them fight together and to my eyes, they looked more like they were _dancing_ instead of fighting against a bunch of hoodlums."

Hagoromo, for once in his life, felt dumbstruck. His mind couldn't wrap itself at the idea that his eldest son- Indra- whom he watched grow into the young man that he was with only the goal of power in his mind, could ever be seen… in the company of anyone else, much more with a woman and not mind their presence. After he tried to convince himself at the idea, Hagoromo's mind just went blank.

Futami chuckled, "You have not named your successor yet but it looks like Indra has taken a large step ahead. Have the thoughts of grandchildren crossed your mind, Hagoromo-sama?"

 _No. The thought of grandchildren has never crossed his mind at all._

* * *

 **Thank you for waiting! I hope this doesn't disappoint. Will try to update the next chapter soon.**

 **If anybody's interested in a MadaSaku fanfic which is also a MafiaAU and Rated M, then please check out my other fanfic: 'Bloody Sugar'.**

 **Ciao~!**


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